Thursday June 17, 2004 11:58 am

NTT DoCoMo Unveils Virtual Wallet Smart Phone

In July, NTT DoCoMo will launch four new smart phones that are more than just Phone/PDA hybrids. These four new phones will be the first in a line of “virtual wallet” handsets from the company. The units will house a Sony FeliCa smart-card chip, and can be loaded with virtual cash. From there, you can go into an establishment which supports the technology, and simply pay for your purchase by holding your phone up to a sensor. McDonald’s along with one of Japan’s largest department stores are just a couple of vendor’s who will accept the new form of e-payments. Aside from cash, the phones will also be able to be used to check in to airports, train stations, and can even take the place of a standard ID card…but what happens if it runs out of power at the wrong time?